Nursing education: In pursuit of cosmopolitanism

Changing demographics, globalization, and an increasingly complex health care system demands progressive approaches to reaching our goals of competent transcultural care. Despite original contributions made by pioneers in cultural appreciation, nursing curricula are still falling short in addressing these issues in both education and practice. Many nurses enter their fields with little knowledge of the societal injustices and educational inequities that haunt the populations they care for. A cosmopolitan approach to nursing education is proposed to assist students in recognizing the complexity and uniqueness of individual experiences, rather than merely attempting to place them into categories based on gender, culture, race, or age. Being a global citizen and a cosmopolitan nurse requires participation in, and valuing of, the common good of society as a whole. Practicing the profession outside of comfort zones can lead to an appreciation for how all our choices are part of a complex global network. Nursing education should be responsible for developing in students the deepest knowledge base as well as the highest degree of critical independence. Cosmopolitan nurses could be the model for 21st century practitioners and future nurse leaders. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.